Parents usually give their kids snippets of advice before they head off to college. One they probably don’t think to tell them is whether or not to open the door if the police come knocking.
It’s a dilemma that even the most law-abiding students could face because a neighbor was complaining about an overly loud party or because a roommate is suspected of drug dealing.
Turning them away is generally within your rights
You generally do not need to open the door to police unless they have a valid warrant that gives them permission to enter the property. If they turn up without one in the hope that you will let them in to search for drugs they think you or a housemate has, you are entitled to keep the door closed to them. It is usually best to do so. Tell them they are welcome to come back with a warrant.
The police are generally only allowed to enter without your permission and without a warrant if there are exigent circumstances. One example is if they are entering to prevent someone suffering imminent harm, or to prevent the imminent destruction of evidence. Of course, they cannot always be sure what is happening behind a closed door. If they do enter on this basis, you may later be able to challenge in court whether the circumstances qualified as exigent or not.
In general, it is always advisable to keep the police out of your residence. Learning more about your child’s defense options will be essential if they face criminal charges related to drug possession or dealing, as the situation has the potential to derail their education, as well as other aspects of their life.
